Methos' Journals: Sunnydale Edition Vol 1
by Robin R. Smith
Summary: WIP. Crossover with Highlander. Methos is a doctor in Sunnydale and gains a new student in Xander and when a prophecy tells of Xander's soul being in danger, Methos must team up with the Scoobies to stop it. slash MethosSpikeXander threesome.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimers: Neither the character of Buffy the Vampire Slayer nor the characters of Highlander belong to me.  
  
A/N: This is written as if it were one of Methos' private journals and takes place after MacLeod tells Methos that they are through during the Horsemen episode. Also, as this is supposed to be someone's journal, there is very little dialog.  
  
A/N 2: I am looking for a beta for my fics. If anyone is interested please let me know. Thanks.  
  
********************  
  
Chapter 1  
  
I'm sure that you have heard many different stories about me and my life. Unfortunately, the majority of them are purely fiction. I too have heard all of the rumors and read all of the Watcher's Chronicles pertaining to my life. While some of the information is correct, in as far as it goes, embellishments abound either by story tellers trying to better capture their audiences attention or by writers who don't know enough facts so they fill their books with supposition and theories about who I am. Everyone seems to have some sort of preconceived idea about how I should think and behave. I have decided to set the record straight. I am not a mythical wise man who sits on the top of a mountain somewhere waiting to dole out wisdom to passing travelers. Nor am I a vicious monster waiting to kill you as soon as your back is turned. Though I can be both, I am just a guy. A guy who is just trying to live his life the best he can. Someone who is simply trying to find happiness. I am Methos and this is my life.  
  
I have lived a long life full of adventure, pain, love, betrayal, and hope. I do not know my true age. I am at least five thousand years old, for that is when my memories begin. I do not know what came before. I have no memories of what kind of life I led, where I was born, or even who my parents were. I don't even know if Methos is my real name. I have done many things and been many people in my long life, some good and some more evil than your worst nightmares. I have watched the world, as the millennia have rolled by, and have both despaired that the world would ever learn from it's past mistakes and rejoiced when I was proven wrong. I have seen both the good and the bad in the world. I have seen things both mythical and common. I have both fought alongside demons and cried as I watched a good man die on a cross on Golgotha. I have been an agent for both the light and the dark.  
  
As the ages have rolled by, I have lived in many interesting times and met many interesting people. But, telling you of these things would only let you know about the person I was then. It will not tell you who I am now. So, I will let history speak for itself and instead tell you about my current life.  
  
Five years ago, I lost the woman I loved to cancer. Though I have loved many women and been married over sixty times, Alexa's death hit me the hardest. I had lost too many people that I loved to time. I vowed to not let it happen again. I sealed off my heart. I would never again love another woman, for mortals were lost too quickly and immortals were eventually lost to the game, no matter how long you were with them.  
  
Around the same time, I lost a dear friend, someone who I believed would be my companion throughout my remaining years. I lost him not to death but to my past. He could not accept the knowledge that I had once been Death, the fourth Horseman Of The Apocalypse. He told me we were through.  
  
Alone once again, I decided to honor Alexa's memory and become a doctor once more. With that in mind I decided to move away from the cold and the rain of both Seacouver and Paris. I found myself in southern California, in a small town called Sunnydale, going by the name of Adam Benjamin. I was to be the new head of Emergency at Sunnydale General.  
  
Two weeks later, I was living a life that was busier than it had ever been before. Though Sunnydale was a small town, it had an emergency room that was more active and more equipped than some of the biggest hospitals in L.A. My days were filled trying to settle into my new life and my nights were filled with constant trauma patients.  
  
In the following years I discovered that the town rests on a temporal disturbance called the Hellmouth. It is routed in magic and filled with the forces of evil. Thankfully it is also home to the current Slayer. That leaves me time to treat my patients and broaden my knowledge of the occult, without feeling the need to be the town's protector. I have met many Slayers in my day and I admire them greatly. However, I have no desire to involve myself with the current chosen one, for her life like all those before her will be short and painful.  
  
*****  
  
Five years passed and I was still in my roll as Chief of Emergency. Though those years were filled with new faces and bustling activity, I was lonelier than I had ever been before. Despite having met many new people, I continued to keep myself separate from them. My staff had long since stopped their efforts to befriend me, unwilling to endure my cutting sarcasm. I was viewed as a brilliant doctor but a hard and unemotional man. The only people who I allowed myself to care for were my patients; them I treated with the utmost care and compassion. Little did I know that my vow to remain detached and uninvolved was to be shattered in one night's time.  
  
It was a Friday night and we were enduring one of the few slow days that I had experienced since moving here. It was as if the forces of evil had decided to give us a night off. Instead of being relieved, I was apprehensive, knowing that something was going to happen but not knowing what. Suddenly, a loud disturbance broke me from my thoughts. A young man appearing to be in his twenty's burst through the door. As soon as I laid eyes on him, I felt drawn to him and knew that my life was about to change. He was slightly shorter than I am with a slim muscular build, pale complexion, and bleached blonde hair. The moment I laid eyes on him, I knew that he was a vampire, a demon inhabiting a corpse. I had run into his kind many times in the past and fear and death always followed them. Despite this, I didn't feel the urge to watch my back and get ready for a fight. Something was telling me that this one was different, that he meant me no harm.  
  
I was shaken out of my perusal when I noticed the body he was carefully cradling in his arms. A beautiful young man, in his early twenty's with dark brown hair, was held in his protective embrace. They were both covered in blood and the blonde was screaming, demanding that someone come help his friend.  
  
Rushing to the two men, I tried to find out what had happened. "Sir, I need you to calm down. Lay him down here so the other doctors can take care of him and tell me what happened."  
  
The blonde snarled at me as he complied. "We were attacked near the park. He's lost a lot of blood."  
  
With just one look, I knew that the boy would not survive his wounds. I also realized that before the night was over he would begin his new life as an immortal. Leading the vampire away, I decided to get some more information. "What are your names?"  
  
"I'm Spike. The whelp's name is Xander Harris," he said with a wince, drawing my attention to several wounds on his chest.  
  
"Well Spike, my name is Dr. Benjamin. If you will just sit over here, I'll take care of your wounds." As I stitched up the deep cuts on his chest, I decided to throw caution to the wind and ask the questions that were puzzling me. "What are you doing with the boy? Why do you care what happens to him?"  
  
"Oy, what do you mean, mate?" Spike asked in an affronted tone.  
  
"You're a vampire. Why would a vampire care what happens to a human boy?" Seeing the puzzled look on the blonde's face I explained, "I've been around a long time. I've seen your kind before. Though, I've never seen one that cared for a human, other than for food."  
  
"Let's just say that he's a friend of the slayer's. I don't feel like waking up with a stake in me heart." Spike tried to sound indifferent, but I could see the worry in his eyes and it intrigued me. After all, vampires are soulless demons and in all my years I've never heard of one who not only seemed to care for humans but also knew the slayer.  
  
"Is the whelp going to be okay?"  
  
Seeing the hidden worry in the vampire's eyes, I went against my better judgment and confided in him. "No, he won't. However, we might still be able to help him."  
  
As the night progressed, I had Xander transferred to a private room. I did not want anyone to be present to witness his death and subsequent resurrection. Once he was settled, I explained our immortality to Spike and he in turn explained how he came to be working with the slayer and her friends. I immediately sympathized with his plight. After all, in my long life, I too had been both experimented on and been a blood thirsty killer. I was very gratified to find out that this Initiative, that he feared so greatly, had been shut down. I had no desire to once again become someone's lab rat.  
  
Knowing that we didn't have much time to plan, I had Spike tell me exactly what happened that night. They had started out with a group of people Spike referred to as the Scoobies. The Scoobies evidently fought the evil that thrived here and consisted of the slayer, a watcher, two witches and Xander. Soon after meeting, they had split up to patrol the town. Xander, being left out from his friends, teamed up with Spike and they covered the cemeteries and warehouses on the south side of Sunnydale. They had been in a deserted part of town and where headed home when a demon suddenly appeared in front of them. It stabbed Xander through the abdomen and slashed Spike across his chest when he leapt forward to defend him. It then disappeared right in front of their eyes.  
  
Throughout his story, Spike made derogatory comments about what he referred to as 'Xander's so called friends'. When I questioned him about this he told me about Xander's life here. Apparently Xander had grown up in a home with drunken parents who had abused him, both physically and sexually. The only person who had known of the abuses, his best friend Jesse, had been killed by vampires and later staked by Xander himself when they were only sixteen years old. From that time on, Xander had been alone. His other friends never bothered to question why Xander was constantly sporting bruises, cuts, burns, or casts. Instead, they made jokes about how clumsy or careless he was. When he was so exhausted from fighting off his father and uncle that he couldn't stay awake in school the next day, they laughed about how lazy he was. When they went up against a new evil and didn't watch his back, causing him to be injured, they criticized him for not being able to fight the demon's off instead of teaching him how to better defend himself. When he constantly lost jobs because he was too sore to move after being brutally raped the night before, they said that he couldn't do anything right. When he disappeared for several months as a result of a whipping that should have left him dead, but had left him hospitalized instead, they didn't even notice.  
  
As Spike talked, I felt an almost overpowering rage building inside of me. I hadn't felt a hatred so black since my time with the Horsemen. My first desire was to hunt down both his friends and his family and cause them to experience all of the fear, pain and self-loathing that Xander had had to endure. The only thing that held me back was my certainty that Xander would not welcome my action. After all, Spike had mentioned how fiercely he would attack those who dared to injure those he loved, no matter how undeserving they were.  
  
By the time Spike finally stopped talking, I was determined to protect Xander from everyone he had known before. I decided that no one, other than Spike and myself, could be trusted to know of Xander's immortality. We would do anything we had to do in order to shield him from any more hurt. With that in mind we began to develop a plan that would allow Xander to learn everything that he needed to know without anyone else finding out. Under the guise of hiring Xander to help me renovate my new house, I would train Xander in the privacy of my own home. My basement had already been transformed into a training salle, it would fit our purposes perfectly. Spike would move into one of my spare rooms and I would supply him with 'blood and smokes' while he would help me to train Xander to fight. In addition to fighting, we would teach him everything we knew, from art and literature to history, from prophecy to the occult. By the time we were finished with him, he would be able to survive any situation imaginable and be able to thrive in any environment no matter how hostile or decadent. I was determined that if I was going to take on a new student, that he would survive, no matter what.  
  
*****  
  
Xander held on longer than I had expected. He fought to survive with a tenacity unlike any I had ever seen before. Though he was strong, he wasn't strong enough. At ten a.m. on Monday morning, Xander Lavelle Harris died. The only witness to this tragedy were Spike and myself. He was dead for less than an hour. I was astonished. This boy was more powerful than immortals ten times his age. The shortest time I have ever heard of for an immortal's first death was over eighteen hours. I knew, with a certainty that coursed through my soul, that this young man would be a force to be reckoned with.  
  
In the hours after his revival, I explained to him the circumstances of his new life. I told him of the game, that it was invented a long time ago by the Council of Watchers, believing us to be demons, in a bid to destroy us from within and as a result other immortals would try to take his head and with it his quickening. I told him of the rules that would now govern his existence, that all fights were one on one and that holy ground was his only refuge. I told him of the Watchers, that there were mortals who knew of our existence and tried to record our lives, I silently swore to do everything I could to keep him from their prying eyes. I told him that he was a foundling and could not have children, his relief upon finding out that the people who raised him were not his parents was palpable.  
  
Two hours later, we were on our way home. At first, Xander was surprised by my insistence that he move in with me, but with Spike's assistance he soon accepted the inevitable. It was just as well, because Spike and I had no intention of allowing him to live in his parent's basement for even one more minute.  
  
*****  
  
In the days that followed, we quickly established a routine. Xander and I would get up at five a.m. for a morning run and a meditative kata. I would then fix breakfast, I quickly learned that if given the opportunity Xander could probably burn water. While we ate, we would read the paper and analyze the various stories and discuss how it would affect our lives and how it compared to times in the past. It was during these discussion that I realized just how quick Xander was. He never forgot anything and on more than one occasion I found myself scrambling to keep up or being backed into a corner and having to struggle to defend my position.  
  
After breakfast, I would leave for the hospital and Xander would work on constructing a new bookcase or table for me. He felt that he had to earn his keep, no matter how many times I insisted that it was unnecessary. Around noon, Spike would wake up and take over Xander's studies. They did not follow any set schedule, instead they would pick a topic a run with it, it could be a certain work of literature, a new demonic language, military history, or even the impact of Passions, Spike's favorite show, on the current culture of America. Their discussions would often last until I came home from work, each determined to get the other to see things their way.  
  
When I would arrive home from work, we would all move into the kitchen and make supper together. Xander would cut and chop what ever was needed, I would do the cooking and Spike would prepare a dessert fit for a king. We would usually use this time to relax and enjoy just being together, refusing to discuss anything more serious than what wine tasted best with what food. It was a time for us to be together without any of the stress of the outside world interfering.  
  
After supper, we would move to the basement and work on Xander's fighting ability. Spike and I had decided that he should master hand to hand combat before introducing weapons to his training. The fighting was the hardest thing for Xander to learn. I struggled for a long time trying to figure out why, after all he was naturally graceful and carried himself with a strength that was easy to see so the moves inherent in the various disciplines should be easy for him to learn. After many discussions we finally discovered what the problem was. Apparently, Xander had been possessed twice before. Once, by the spirit of a hyena and once by a soldier. It seemed that when Xander fought it brought them closer to the surface and he was instinctively fighting them, fearing that he would once again be taken over by them. This conflict was preventing him from embracing the training that we were trying to introduce. It took us a while, but we finally got him to understand that he was firmly in control and that he should use the instincts and knowledge of both the hyena and soldier to his advantage. Once Xander came to accept all of himself, even the parts that scared him, he began to excel in the various techniques. He was a natural, I have never before seen anyone with such control over his body and with such an instinctive understanding of what was technically a foreign pursuit.  
  
When we were finished for the day, usually around two hours later, we would settle down in the den and just enjoy each others company. We would spread out and find something to read or discuss or just sit quietly gazing into a warm fire and savor the warm companionship we had forged together. We would stay there until Xander and I got tired and wandered off to bed and Spike headed out for a few hours of fun and mayhem. I had come to cherish these times of the day and would not give it up for anything or anyone.  
  
This schedule repeated itself every day except on Saturdays and Sundays. Those were our days to have fun. Xander and I would head out bright and early to do whatever stuck our fancy that day, whether it be going to the beach, visiting a museum, driving to neighboring town and sight seeing or simply going out into my private yard and enjoying the sunlight. At night, since Xander refused to leave the demon fighting completely to others, we would all go out for a nice dinner before splitting up. Xander would go visit his friends and Spike and I, refusing to leave him to once again be hurt by them, would lurk outside of the watcher's house, ready to burst in and kill his friends or just steal him away to safety if things got too bad. Once they split up for patrolling and they once again left Xander on his own, Spike and I would join him and we would finish up our night with a nice stroll around Sunnydale, killing whatever demons we happened to run across.  
  
This routine continued as the days went on and as the days progress so did our new lives. Some days were heaven and some were pure hell, but I will never regret the struggle and effort we invested to insure that this new fragile friendship would stand the test of time.  
  
TBC 


	2. Chapter 2

See Chapter 1 for Disclaimers.  
  
*********************  
  
Chapter 2  
  
By the end of the first month, my life had changed drastically. For as long as I could remember, I had been a loner, one surrounded by people but a loner none the less. I had refused to get emotionally attached to anyone, after all I had learned that lesson repeatedly over my long life. I was always ready to run at the first sign of trouble. Now, I was no longer a loner, I had two caring people who I shared my life with. I was no longer emotionally distant, at least not with them. I was no longer ready to run, I was determined to stand by them no matter what. I was more scared than I can ever remember being before.  
  
Though I had been drawn to them both from the moment we met, I can remember the exact moment when I realized just how deeply entrenched, both emotionally and physically, they were in my life. It was a Friday night and Spike and I had given Xander his first lesson in sword fighting that very day. We were in the den relaxing. Spike and Xander were on the floor in front of the fire, Xander had convinced Spike to give him a massage to ease his aching muscles after the strenuous workout. I was sitting in my favorite chair, poring over my latest acquisition, an ancient manuscript I had paid an arm and a leg for. I heard Spike make some snarky comment and as I looked up I saw a sight that gripped my heart and has never let go. Spike, straddling Xander hips, was leaning over him to say something and Xander had twisted around to look at Spike over his shoulder. Their faces were inches apart and sported huge smiles. The fire reflected off of their skins making them look as if they were lit by some internal light as bright as a sun.  
  
It was at that moment that I knew that I loved them. I knew that this would be the one that I wouldn't survive. If I lost them, whether to death or distance, my death would soon follow. I don't know what scared me more, the fact that I, the ultimate survivor, had found the one thing that I couldn't survive or the fact that I didn't care. I vowed to do whatever was necessary to win my two loves and make them happy for all eternity.  
  
As the days progressed, I began to understand just how difficult my task would be. Spike would be the easiest to approach on the subject. I wouldn't have to worry about offending or insulting him. But, what if I was wrong. If he left because of me I knew that would drive Xander away as well, it was obvious how much Xander needed him. Also, I knew that I would need Spike's help with Xander. Xander's past had turned him into an emotional minefield. I was terrified that he would believe that I was no better than his family. That I had befriended him for the sole purpose of taking advantage of him.  
  
It was another week before I was finally ready to approached Spike. We were once again sitting in the den and Xander had already headed up to bed. I was still trying to figure out how to bring up the subject when Spike solved the problem for me.  
  
"Just spit it out, mate."  
  
Startled, I jerked my head up from the book I was staring blankly at. "What?"  
  
"Pet, you've been fretting over something all week. I can tell you want to talk, so spit it out already," Spike said rolling his eyes.  
  
"I'm in love with you, with you and Xander," I said in a rush.  
  
Spike just sat there not saying anything. For a moment, I thought that he hadn't heard me. Then he said just one word, "Explain."  
  
For the next hour I talked. I told him about the instant attraction I had had felt towards them when they had first burst into the hospital. I told him how my concern for their safety and happiness had grown to the point that it was all that I cared about. I told him about that night a week before, when I finally realized how deep my feelings ran. I told him about my desire for them both and my concerns about Xander's reaction to it. By the time I was finally finished, I had offered him both my love and my life. The only thing left to do was find out if I would get my hearts desire or if instead I would see it crushed beneath a pair of size ten Doc Martins.  
  
We sat in silence for a few minutes then Spike got a faraway look in his eyes as he told me about his previous experiences with love. He told me about Cecily, a beautiful young woman he had fallen in love with while he was still human. She had scorned and belittled him saying that he was 'beneath her'. He told me about his 'dark princess', Drucilla, the lovely and insane vampire who made him and that he had loved for over a hundred years. She had used him for protection and as someone to take care of her, running back to her Angel at every opportunity. He told me about Angelus, the vampire who was his sire in all but fact. Angelus had taken great pleasure in making Spike love him and then torturing him for it.  
  
As he told his story, I began to realize that Spike was just as fragile emotionally as Xander was. I could have slapped myself for not realizing it before. After all, was I not the master at showing the world just what I wanted it to see? Why then hadn't I been able to recognize it in someone else, especially someone I was as close to as I was to Spike. The rage I felt inside at the people who had hurt him must have been visible on my face because Spike suddenly stiffened as if preparing to defend himself from attack. I quickly explained to him that I was angry not at him but at the people who had hurt him. He didn't believe me at first but finally relaxed as if accepting it. How little affection must he have experienced in his life to make him believe that no one could care enough about him to be angry at those who trespassed against him. I silently added Drucilla and Angel to the mental list I carried with me of people I hated and would soon deal with. Up to this point the only people on the list had been Xander's parents and friends.  
  
We talked a while longer and I tried to convince him that I was sincere and that I never wanted to hurt him. I wasn't sure if he believed me but, he agreed to think about it.  
  
At three a.m. the next morning, I was abruptly woken by the feeling of my mattress being gently jostled. I cautiously opened my eyes, not knowing what to expect. Only to find Spike sitting on the edge of my bed staring at me with a confused and almost hurt look in his eyes. Still unable to believe that he was worthy of affection, he asked me once again if I was sure that I loved him. I told him that there was nothing in the world that could make me stop. Immediately the vulnerability on his face disappeared and his usual cocky expression was back. He confidently took over the other half of my bed and, leaning against the headboard, asked me how we were going to get Xander.  
  
That morning signaled the beginning of true happiness in my life. Spike and I had agreed to go slowly in our new relationship for fear of making a mistake. However, I soon realized that did not include sleeping alone. Even though I would go to bed long before Spike was ready to turn in, from that night on I never again woke up alone. I was greatly surprised by how much I came to crave his presence. It was as if Spike was determined that neither of us would ever be lonely again.  
  
**  
  
In the days that followed, we set out to win Xander. We first tried to make him more secure in his relationship with us. We made sure to always use patience and understanding when handling him. We confided in him about our pasts, causing him to be confident enough to do the same. We made sure that we always had time for him and never excluded him. Most importantly of all, we made a point to tell him that we liked him for who he was.  
  
As the days progressed, a new Xander began to emerge, one that was more confident, proud, and secure. He began to believe that he was a more capable person, instead of automatically assuming that he wasn't. He no longer hesitated to ask for help or for someone to teach him something new, as a result we now have a thriving vegetable garden. He began to stand up for himself more and to demand respect. The most telling change was when he stopped making furniture or repairing things simply because he felt that he would be unwanted if he didn't do enough. Instead, he began to use the woodworking as a way of having fun and enjoying himself and as a result his work changed from merely well built and functional to works of art. I have seen people who trained their entire live yet were still not be able to create pieces near as beautiful.  
  
**  
  
The biggest obstacle to our goal in those days were his friends. Every time he visited with them, he came back with his feelings trampled, no longer secure in his place or confident in his abilities. Things finally came to a head four months after our initial meeting.  
  
As the weeks and months passed, Spike and I had quickly realized that we would soon have to deal with Xander's friends. After all, it felt as if we took a giant leap backward for every step forward. This was something that we refused to allow to continue. Our only concerns were for Xander and our fear that he would sink into a depression that we would be unable to save him from. In order to respect Xander's wishes, Spike and I tried to devise a way to help without confronting his friends directly. Our hesitation could have cost us Xander's life.  
  
It was a Saturday night and I had been called in to the hospital unexpectedly, preventing me from joining Xander and Spike on the usual weekly patrol. Although I had left the hospital as soon as I could, it was after two a.m. before I returned home. I was surprised to find the house empty. An hour passed and with it my worry grew. The only times that any of us had ever been this late returning home from patrol were nights in which all hell seemed to break loose. I had gathered up my coat and was headed out to look for them when they finally returned. It took only one look at Xander face for me to realize that something was very wrong. He looked as if his world was crashing in on him. I turned to Spike, trying to find out what had happened, only to be confronted with a look of both puzzlement and worry. I knew instantly that Spike was unaware of what had happened and was just as concerned for Xander as I was.  
  
Seeing how distraught my two loves were, I quickly took control. I ushered them into the den and sat them down on the couch. I than sat down on the coffee table in front of them and asked Xander what had happened. It took several tries before I was successful in gaining his attention. To my astonishment, Xander threw himself into my arms and began to cry. His sobs filled the room, breaking both my heart and Spike's. We tried our best to comfort him. Yet, it still took hours for him to finally calm down.  
  
When his tears had finally stopped, we were laying on the rug in front of the fire. Spike and I were facing each other protectively cradling Xander between us. I don't know how long we laid there simply taking comfort in each other's arms before Xander finally began to speak, his voice weak and faltering. His words filled me with a fear that shook me to my core. I was once again faced with losing someone that I loved.  
  
**  
  
Spike and I listened attentively as Xander told us about the events that had happened that night. It had begun like most other Saturdays with Xander meeting up with his friends and then splitting up for their usual patrols. For once, Xander and Spike had had a fairly uneventful evening, only running into two fledges and several homeless people. It was after Xander had met back up with his friends that things began to go wrong. The Scoobies were at Giles discussing the events of the evening, with Spike once again lurking protectively outside. At first, Xander hadn't been paying attention. That quickly changed when Willow mention an encounter with a demon. It had appeared in front of her and her girlfriend Tara and spoke of how 'the blood had already been spilled' and 'the sacrifice was now at hand'. The demon had then disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. As she described the demon, Xander quickly realized that it was the same one that had taken his life months before.  
  
As soon as she finished speaking, Giles had set everyone to researching both the demon and the sacrifice that it had mentioned. It was hours later before they had any success. Xander, finding a picture of the demon, handed the book he had been reading to Giles who then translated the relevant passages to the rest of the group. It was apparently a destiny demon who's only role in life was to set things in motion so that the destiny of certain key people could be fulfilled. There were many prophecies pertaining to these types of demons. However, there was only one that still remained to be fulfilled. Giles had then proceeded to read the prophecy aloud:  
When all previous prophecies have been fulfilled, in the time of the  
Slayer who has died yet still lives, the champion will be found. He  
will be the One. He will either usher in an age of eternal darkness  
or an age of eternal light. The champion will be he who lives on the  
gates to hell and both fights and embraces the soulless ones. The  
champion is he who has died yet is not dead. Both Death and the dead  
will be his companions. Once his blood has been spilled, the  
sacrifice will be at hand. The sacrifice will be his soul. Only the  
strength and love of his companions will be able to influence the  
outcome. His life will be in their hands.  
  
When Xander recited the prophecy, I felt my body go cold. It was immediately obvious to me that the champion spoken of in the prophecy was Xander. It only took one look for me to see that Spike had realized the same thing. We now knew what had scared Xander so badly. The only question was, what were we going to do about it.  
  
When he had finished talking, Xander once again started sobbing. I tried to comfort him the best that I could as I asked him the question that was circling around in my head. I asked him if he had informed his friends that he was the one mentioned in the prophecy. He told us that he had tried but they would not listen. They heard the prophecy and immediately assumed that Buffy was the champion, despite the fact that the champion was referred to as 'he' on several occasions.  
  
We laid there for hours, trying to reassure ourselves of Xander's safety. As the time passed, I had felt a sense of peace come over me. If this prophecy was correct, I would no longer have to worry about losing someone I loved to 'The Game'. Xander would be the One. The last immortal left standing. The only thing left to do was to insure that Xander's soul was not lost in the process. I drifted off to sleep secure in the knowledge that I would never again outlive one of my lovers.  
  
TBC 


	3. Chapter 3

See Chapter 1 for disclaimers.  
  
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Chapter 3  
  
I awoke the next morning both content and with a sense of purpose. I was content because I held in my arms the two people I loved more than anything or anyone else in the world. I felt a sense of purpose because I knew that that was the day I would finally meet and confront the people that Xander cared so much for. That was the day I would deal with the Scoobies.  
  
I was later told that both Spike and Xander had believed that I had lost my mind while they slept. For when they woke up, I was happily bustling around the house; humming while I prepared breakfast. They had never before seen me like that and it was the last thing that they had expected after the revelations of the night before. When I spotted their puzzled looks, the smile on my face grew. Evidently deciding that they were willing to accept the insane version of myself, they indulgently returned my smile and joined me in the kitchen.  
  
After an enjoyable breakfast, in which we forgot our worries and simply relished being together, I broached the subject of the night before. I told Xander of my intention to meet his friends and make them realize the truth about the prophecy. I knew that we would probably need their help to figure out how to save him. Xander tried to protest, realizing that I would not put up with their usual behavior regarding him, but was quickly overruled by both Spike and myself. I could tell that Spike was looking forward to the confrontation just as much as I was.  
  
**  
  
Two hours later, the three of us were on our way to Giles' store, The Magic Box. We had decided to take my SUV because, weeks prior, I had taken the precaution of insuring that the back seats were adequately shaded to allow Spike to ride in both comfort and safety. The closer we got to our destination, the more nervous and quiet Xander became. He was almost petrified of his friends' reactions to both his immortality and his ever growing relationship with Spike and I. His withdrawal was just fuel to the fire of my anger towards them. I wanted nothing more than to make them pay for reducing such a brave and loving young man to this state of almost all consuming fear. After knowing him for all those years, how could they not be willing to love and accept him under any conditions?  
  
Judging from the looks on the faces of Xander's friends, our entrance must have been a true sight to behold. As soon as we had arrived, Spike jumped out of the vehicle and burst into the store. Protected only by the dubious covering of and old blanket, he was loudly cursing the encroaching sunlight while puffs of smoke emerged from beneath his shelter. It was obvious, from the looks on their faces, that Xander's friends did not consider Spike a welcome addition to the store. A very subdued Xander was the next to enter. He cautious walked in with his head bowed and stoically endured the heated glares sent his way for being in the company of Spike. After taking a moment to ensure that I had my quickening under control, I joined my two loves. I had no intention of allowing the Scoobies to realize just how powerful I truly was, at least not yet. It quickly became obvious that I need not have bothered. The Scoobies were so busy deriding both Spike and Xander that they didn't even noticed my entrance.  
  
For a few minutes, I stood in the shadows by the door. I observed the actions of everyone in the room. In that short period of time the Scoobies managed to cement my dislike for them into my very soul. Without even realizing it, they had managed to create an enemy for life. The only one who I was willing to spare my wrath was Tara. The shy young woman was the only one to show any warmth toward the two people who were my world. Instead of joining in on the comments, she simply granted both Spike and Xander a welcoming smile before once again ducking her head and hiding behind her blond locks.  
  
Having seen enough, I cleared my throat and stepped further into the room. Finally noticing my presence, Giles had pasted a smile onto his face and stepped up to greet whom he thought was a new customer. Spike had obviously not been impressed. He just snorted and made a rude comment about their observation skills or lack thereof.  
  
Angered by Spike's impertinence, Buffy stepped forward as if to attack him. It was at that point that I decided to take matters into my own hands. I quickly advanced, placing myself between Spike and the Slayer. I then allowed a small portion of my quickening to slip the confines of my control. As my quickening had swept through the room, the watcher, Slayer, and witch had all sunk to their knees in pain. Seeing them clutching their heads, a thrill of vengeance had swept through me. I only stopped my assault when I noticed the young witch, Tara, also fighting the effects of my quickening.  
  
Wanting to ensure that I had gotten my point across, I had then turned to the slayer who was still on the floor. "That was just a warning, Slayer," I had said with a sneer. "Never again attack someone under my protection. You will not like the results."  
  
While the Slayer stared at me with hate filled eyes, the watcher finally found his voice, "Who are you and what do you want?" Though his voice had been full of aggression, his eyes had radiated his fear for his Slayer.  
  
"My name is Dr. Adam Benjamin. I am both a friend and protector to Spike and Xander. As for what I want, I am here to help you understand the truth behind the prophecy."  
  
The varied reactions of the Scoobies, upon hearing my words, would have been entertaining had they not been directed toward me and my loves. The watcher just stood there sputtering while trying to pretend that he did not know what I was talking about. The Slayer had begun pacing and screaming at Xander; asking him things like 'What were you thinking?' and 'How stupid can you be?' and throwing out words like betrayal and screw-up. The witch, Willow, simply sat in her seat while both glaring at me and sending Xander looks that practically screamed disappointment.  
  
As I had been preparing to teach those infuriating and self-centered children a lesson that they would not soon forget, a growl had filled the room. It had started out quietly, so low that you almost could not hear it, and had quickly grown to a deafening roar. In the ensuing quiet, five sets of eyes had turned and looked fearfully at Spike. The vampire had been enraged. In the minutes that followed, a wave of terror had swept through the Scoobies. In the time since Spike had escaped the Initiative, they had begun to assume that they were safe from both Spike and his rages. They were wrong.  
  
Though we could all plainly see the pain in his face, there was no doubt in any of our minds that Spike was about to attack. He had stood back and watched as Xander's friends had driven him even further into his shell until he could take it no longer. Just as Spike was going in for the kill, he was stopped by the actions of the man he was trying to defend. Xander, fearing for his friends, had placed a calming hand on Spike's arm. At first, it had seemed as if Spike was just going to ignore him. He then looked deep into Xander's eyes and seeing the fear in them ceased his attack. In the silence that followed, Spike, having seen how scared and confused Xander was, immediately took him into his arms and whispered soothing words into his ear. Xander, desperate for any sign of affection, had clung to him. The change had been instantaneous. Spike had gone from trying to kill Xander's friends to trying to comfort him in the blink of an eye.  
  
Buffy, having seen that Spike was distracted, thrust a stake toward his vulnerable back. In that moment I was closer to Death than I had ever been in the past two thousand years. A dark rage consumed me. I knew nothing other than the fact that the blond bitch had tried, for the second time that day, to kill my vampire. Moving faster than I ever had before, I immediately drew my sword and protected what was mine. Luck must have been on the Slayer's side that day; for that can be the only explanation why she had only lost her stake in the attack instead of her hand. Seeing nothing else around me, only that she still lived, I had then pressed my attack. I had her backed into a corner quicker than anyone could have dreamed possible. I had been in the middle of a decapitating swing when my brain finally registered what was happening. Though I had had every intention of following through on my stroke, my blade was stopped by the sound of my Xander's tears. Never before had I wanted a death as much as I wanted hers in that instant. However, I would not allow myself to hurt Xander any more than I already had. Slowly backing away from the Slayer, I approached Xander. Giving him a hug, I promised that as long as she behaved, I would allow her to live; at least for now.  
  
In the chaos that followed our altercation, I had realized that, once again, it was up to me to take control of the situation. I knew that we would not be able to help Xander if we could not work together. So, with that in mind, I had then threatened, cajoled and forced everyone to take seats at a nearby table. I made a point to ensure that both Spike and Xander were seated as far away from the others as possible. I had been surprised to find that it took very little yelling to get everyone settled so that we could begin work on the prophecy.  
  
Once everything had finally quieted down, I reassured Giles that I was only there to help and that if he wanted that to continue, he had better insure that everyone was on their best behavior. I then proceeded to ask him what all they had discovered so far. For the rest of the day, we reviewed what we already knew and researched further into the matter. Not trusting the Scoobies, especially after the events that had transpired earlier that day, I had chosen not to reveal the truth about Xander and myself. Unfortunately, as a result, much of the day had been spent arguing about whether or not the Slayer was the champion.  
  
TBC 


End file.
